Subaru BRZ STI Concept Debuts at New York Auto Show

There is no Subaru BRZ STI, and it’s very unlikely there ever will be a Subaru BRZ STI, a production version of the rear-wheel-drive, turbocharged coupe you’ve pined for. Subaru has made it very clear to us that the car it debuted at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the Subaru BRZ STI Concept, is just that: a concept.

For Subaru Tecnica International, the automaker’s skunkworks, the Subaru BRZ STI Concept is a showcase to display its engineering aptitude. The car is powered by the EJ20 turbocharged flat-four from Subaru’s BRZ GT300, which competes in Super GT, a Japan-based racing series. That means the Subaru BRZ STI Concept should be good for just under 300 hp. It has a six-speed manual transmission and remains rear-wheel drive. It has a sportier interior, including a steering wheel fitted with shift lights and a manettino dial, and an uber-aggressive exterior, complete with a wide-body kit, a big carbon-fiber wing, and a center-exit dual exhaust.

Cool, but who cares? We won’t get a production Subaru BRZ STI anytime soon, if ever, and so we refuse to get on bended knee to praise this false idol. Instead we urge Subaru to consider tacking these five pieces and parts from the concept on to the next-generation Subaru BRZ.

One: the lie-flat door handles. They make the BRZ’s side look clean and smooth, and their brushed aluminum finish contrasts beautifully with the body paint.

Two: the Recaro racing seats. Trimmed in leather and faux suede, the thin seats with sculpted bolsters look very track-worthy.

Three: the digital race widget. The LCD display functions as a stopwatch and g-force meter, and it monitors bits like throttle input and tire temperature.

Four: the six-piston front brake calipers. Some would say Brembo brakes (especially Brembos with six-piston binders) might be overkill for a 2,750-pound, 200-hp coupe, but we say it simply allows us to brake later.

And five: those sexy taillights. Let’s just hope they don’t have the same condensation issue as the taillights on today’s BRZ.

If we could pick a sixth, it would be the turbocharged flat-four, but that won’t happen. Subaru will be bringing the BRZ tuned by STI (tS) — a BRZ with a slew of suspension upgrades — stateside in the next couple years, but not a BRZ built by STI.